DETOUR - 2GO Travel

A Cruise to Change Your Mind by Ricky LopezWhen Tita Susan asked me if I would like to goBoracay for the magazine, I was like, “Hellooo!!!Of course! Double of course!!!” I got really excited.So I asked, “Tita, what day are we flying in?”“We’re not.” Tita Susan replied. “We’re going byboat.”My excitement level dropped a couple of notches.Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything againstlong haul inter-island travel... unless I’m the one taking it.Images of crazy crowded pier scenes came to mind, withpeople jostling one another to board the ship, trying to getat the best bunks, and being squeezed between a varietyof family members, numerous sako-bags of clothes andpasalubong cans of biskwit.Probably reading the flash of apprehension on myface, Tita Susan added, “We’re taking a cruise to Boracay!”Well, I’ve travelled on more dismal modes oftransportation before and I’ve survived them. The key ismanaging expectations.Unlike other trips with Tita Susan where we meet upat her Bel-Air residence, this time, we were to convergeat the Jam Liner bus terminal in Cubao, at a waiting areaspecifically designated for 2GO Travel.Yes, 2GO, as in the courier service, which has nowbranched into a variety of interests, with 2GO Travel beingthe super-brand that resulted from the merger of NegrosNavigation, Super Ferry, SuperCat, and Cebu ferries.Accompanying us was no less than 2GO Travel’s EVPand Chief Commercial Officer. Such a stiff sounding title,really, when the man holding the position is as laid backas Stephen Tagud. With him were his staff Bessie Hendrixand Ervin Andaya who gave us our travel papers whichAll Aboard!Across the page, left to right: Tita Susan with the Travel Timeteam and 2GO Travel EVP, Stephen Tagud; the hotel-like lobby ofCF3; the check-in counter; the vessel leaving the Batangas port.were comprised of coupons for 2GO’s special feature callTravel Link. 2GO’s Travel Link provides, with a singlepurchase, seamless travel from Manila to Boracay.“Actually, you can start all the way from Baguio,”Stephen revealed. People up north can buy the Travel Linkticket and board the Genesis Liner bus which drops themoff directly at the Jam Liner Cubao terminal. Here, theycan then take any of Jam’s hourly trips to the Batangasport to board the 2GO Travel ship which sails directly toCaticlan twice a day. From the Caticlan port, they are thenimmediately ferried to the beaches of Boracay. Seamless.No more multiple rolling on, rolling off piers, too.The bus left the terminal at 3 p.m. and was at theBatangas pier by a bit past 5 p.m. Upon disembarking, wewere met by a guy wearing a shirt in 2Go’s trademark pinkhue.“Actually, it’s magenta,” Stephen clarified.Apparently, the company paid good money to get theperfect branding right. That included the name, logo,and color scheme. Indeed, the color stands out even ina crowd. And if ever you lose sight of the welcome guy,you can easily find your own way by following the seriesof magenta signages that lead from the bus parking all theway to the 2GO Boarding Terminal where we joined thequeue of people taking the same cruise.Some people didn’t take the bus but rather opted tobring their own cars to Batangas and left their vehicles atthe designated parking area for the cruise passengers. “Forbarkadas, we can also arrange for group pick-up and drop-70 travel time april - june 2012

off via a private van,” clarifies Bessie who was acting asliaison officer for our trip.As darkness fell, we finally get our first glimpse of ourship which was newly-painted in white with the huge 2GOTravel logo emblazoned on its sides.Honestly, up to this point, I felt that the “cruise” partof the trip was simply a marketing man’s ploy to give thenew shipping line a premium to sell but with no real legs tostand on. Boy, was I wrong.We boarded the ship, pretty as we pleased, walkingup the ramp and into a modern hotel lobby! It had doubleheight ceiling, comfortable lounge chairs, welcome drinks,and even more seating at the mezzanine lounge which couldalso double as a piano bar. Very spiffy.! This trip was turningout to be more than just getting from Point A to Point B.“What we’re trying to sell here is an ‘experience’,”Stephen explains. “2GO Travel offers a new way of arrivingto your destination.” With 2GO’s Boracay cruise, thevacation starts on the boat itself, while you travel acrossthe blue seas, enjoying the breeze, the food, the onboardentertainment, and the leisurely pace.“We call it domestic cruising,” Stephen proudly claims.To provide passengers that deluxe cruise experience,the ship is treated like a floating hotel. While it is still theship captain who is responsible for the safe and smoothtransport of the passengers, a hotel manager is in charge toensure the passengers’ safety and comfort, and make themfeel more like hotel guests rather than cargo. On this ship,that would be Alain Frigillana.“My personal objective is to make your travelexperience exciting and memorable so you will tell otherpeople,” Alain confesses.Very much like a hotel, we were checked-in at the deskand were then guided to our respective cabins. My room canaccommodate six people, but there are also four-bunkcabins as well as a couple of staterooms for the morediscriminating. Each cabin is air-conditioned and hasits own private toilet and bath. At the back of the cabinswere the Tourist Class accommodations which are twobig air-conditioned halls lined with comfortable doubledeck bunks. The economy class bunk is located at thewell-ventilated upper deck, at the same level as theopen-air lounge and bar.There is also an onboard restaurant which is openall throughout the trip. Given the ship’s limitations,choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner is limited, butexcellently catered by Negrense, a food handlingaffiliate of the 2GO Group.As the ship started pulling away from theBatangas pier, the hotel staff directed the guests’attention to the numerous LCD TVs all over the shipas it played 2GO Travel’s ship safety video in English,Filipino and Visayan. Safety is the main concern of2GO Travel and watching the video made me feel moresecure.april - june 2012 travel time 71

As Sir Alain took us on a touraround the ship, he took us all theway to the bridge, the ship’s commandcenter, to meet ship captain BobbyMontayre, a Cebu native and a veterancaptain who has sailed this particularcourse, as well as many others, fordecades. He keeps a tiptop ship.“We have a weekly evaluationof crew readiness,” said CaptainMontayre. “We take safety seriously.”They also check the emergency raftsand the state of fire fighting equipmentwhich are dispersed all over the ship.Aside from a ready crew, thecaptain is also proud of all the safetyapparatus installed all over the ship.Fire emergency alarm system, check.Sprinkler system, check. Radar andemergency communication system,check. They even have an independentweather report system in addition tothe ones they receive from PAGASAand the coast guard.The information did tons tocalm me when the ship started tohit the rougher waters of the opensea. Though not jerky, the shipwas in constant motion. Tita Susanwas unperturbed, though. She wasenjoying the band playing at the shipdeck along with the other guests.Band singer Shiela Sansait had to huga pole to keep her balance, thoughher high wedge heels might havesomething to do with that as well. Buteven with the ship’s motion, she stillmanaged to belt out songs includingAdele’s “Rolling in the deep.” Howappropriate, I thought.As I ducked below deck to themezzanine lounge, I found other guestswho, like me, hadn’t found their sealegs yet. Being both green aroundthe gills didn’t seem to be a greatconversation opener, but hey, it was ashared experience. And the confinedspace of the ship brought a certaincamaraderie among us guests.Jason Alcantara, a 31-year-oldbalikbayan from California seemed tobe enjoying it. Just here on a limitedstay, the cruise to Boracay ate up a bitout of his vacation days but he had no72 travel time april - june 2012

Are We There Yet?Does it matter if we’re there yet? The different scenes andactivities onboard make for the perfect cruise experience!regrets. “I Iike it. It’s more relaxed and I get to socializewith others,” he said.As the clock neared midnight, I saw some of the shipstaff busy preparing something. “It’s a birthday cake,”Ervin Andaya revealed. A guest, Juana Sulit Santos, wascelebrating her 80th birthday on board and as the ship’sEvents Director, Ervin decided to make this particularbirthday memorable by giving her an asalto. I joined themas they trooped to her cabin for the surprise.Lola Juana was all ready for bed. “Ay! Sana sinabiniyong may surprise! Hindi ako nakaayos!” Shecomplained with a smile.Lola, kaya nga surprise eh!That was enough excitement for one night out on thesea so I decided to tuck into bed in my bunk as well.I woke up to the P.A. system announcing that we werearriving in Caticlan in a few minutes. It seemed as though Islept through half of the eight-hour trip. I prepared my stuffand went out of the cabin to see the lobby and the deckfilled with people. Some guests were already dressed andready to disembark. Others were still languorously havingtheir coffee. Meanwhile, the hotel staff were ready for thecheck-out process and assist the guests in disembarking.We docked at the Caticlan port. Like the boarding,alighting the ship was also unhurried and smooth. Wefiled into the Caticlan terminal and boarded the oysterferry which took us to Boracay Island. Owned by EdwardPacheco, the ferry had a well-appointed air-conditionedsitting room below deck. But since the ride would last allof seven minutes, we decided to just stand by the rails ofthe open deck and enjoy the breeze, the sunlight, the view,and of course, the photo opportunity.We docked at the Boracay jetty, and from there, itwas a quick ride to La Carmela de Boracay, the beachfrontresort owned by Boy So, and a favoritehideaway for many celebrities including BoyAbunda.No less than Boy So was on hand towelcome us and didn’t skimp on the lunchbuffet he laid for us. Salad greens, cornchowder, steamed lapu-lapu, butter-fried tuna,garlic fried prawns, steamed red crabs, and thepiece de resistance, a whole lobster on everytable! Talk about luxury!The whole day was spent languidlywalking up and down the beach, takingpictures, buying knick-knacks along Station 2’sD’Mall, sipping banana peanut shake at Jona’salong Station 1, and nearing sunset, goingunderwater among the fishes for Boracay’salready iconic helmet dive.Evening fell unbidden and for dinner,Stephen took us to True Food, such anondescript name for an unpretentious butapril - june 2012 travel time 73

74 travel time april - june 2012comfortable place which serves authentic Indian cuisine.Seated on huge throw pillows, we feasted on vegetablesamosa, lamb rogan josh, muglahi chicken curry, lambvindalo, mushroom dopoiza, and lamb curry. The richsauce we scooped up with their freshly baked naan andwashed down with salted lassi, a yoghurt drink.Conversation flowed throughout the languorousdinner and suddenly, it was already almost 12 midnight.Time for bed.“No! Time to party!” Stephen countered. We lefttrue food, walked along Boracay’s footpath to Boracay’smost happening place, Juice Bar. By the time we got there,Juice was already pumping dance music and the peoplewere already partying. A mixed group of Koreans werehitting the bar hard. The shipboard band and entouragewere present, tanned, and already feeling no pain. EvenLola Juana and her family were there getting a feel of theBoracay vibe. Drinks flowed. And then spontaneously,a female guest started giving an amazing pole dancingdemonstration! More drinks flowed. More dancing. Thenthe bartender was dancing on the bar right next to a towerof multi-colored drinks. A shot of gin, a spark of a matchand whoosh! Flaming liquor for everyone! And the drinksand party juices continued to flow throughout the night.Morning came too quickly. Ours was an abbreviatedstay in Boracay. And we were set to sail in a few hours.

Boy So prepared a fortifying breakfast spread,but after a night of partying, coffee and thecomfort of well-tinted Ray-Bans were what mostof us just needed.We were transported back to the Boracayjetty, then took a motorized outrigger boat toCaticlan and boarded the 2GO Travel cruiseship for our trip back home. At the restaurant,the buffet table was again busy. On the opendeck, the band was preparing for their set.At the mezzanine lounge, four children wereenergetically playing tag as their motherwatched. I started a conversation with 19-yearoldPidz Alaraio who was just sitting near me. Ihaven’t seen him before but being on the samecruise, we were no longer total strangers. We’veshared an experience.“Kamusta Boracay mo?” I asked.“Galing! Ayoko sanang sumama kasi sabinila magbabarko. Buti na lang napilit ako,” hereplied.“Ba’t ayaw mo?”“Kasi akala ko yung nakaupo lang di ba?Ganito pala, parang luxury siya”“Eh ngayon, babalik ka pa?”“Oo, next week. Dapat pupunta kami ngVigan ng barkada ko. Pero sobrang na-enjoy kodito eh. Tinawagan ko sila nung nasa beach ako.Sabi ko mag-Boracay na lang kami.”“Lilipad kayo?”“Hindi. Magbabarko. Dito ulit. Ok naman eh.”Land Ahoy!Boracay island scenes with Tita Susan, Stephen and the team chilling at LaCarmela de Boracay and partying the night away.april - june 2012 travel time 75

Give It a TryThe SF12 vessel at Manila harbor’s Pier15.76 travel time april - june 2012

A Cruise to Happiness by Lala Dimaano“What am I doing here?” As I stepped onto thepassenger terminal, I found myself staring at agigantic ship. I was still on dry, stable land, butI was already feeling nauseous. I just recentlystayed at a beach resort alone. I snorkeled, I sailed, Ikayaked. But, as I made my way up the gangplank to boardthe ship, I thought that maybe I was pushing it a bit toofar this time. How can a non-swimmer like me spend 22hours in the open sea? I reached into my bag and poppeda motion sickness pill into my mouth and prayed forsurvival.I looked over my shoulder and saw Willan and Jacanimatedly talking to each other. This seemed so naturalto them. Willan and Jac are from 2GO Travel’s marketingteam, and they were travelling with me to introduce meto the joy of cruising in the Philippines. This 2GO Travelvessel was to take us from Manila to Cebu City. It wasmy first time to travel for more than two hours by sea, ina ship this big. I’ve been in the travel industry for sevenyears, and I’ve taken countless bus and plane rides. Butnever have I crossed the seas on a ship. Maybe this was mychristening. My chance to be a real traveler.I was assigned a stateroom which was tastefully-donein shades of pink and magenta, and had two beds, a couch,a 32-inch LCD TV, a cabinet, a dresser, a toilet and bathwith a tub. It looked like a floating hotel. At this point,I realized that I was about to travel to my destination inluxury and told myself that I had nothing to worry andcomplain about.2GO Travel’s SF12 vessel has two dining areas—theHorizon Restaurant and Café for those who are travellingfirst-class, and Island Fiesta for economy passengers. Onthe way to Horizon, Willan, Jac, our photographer, Karl,and I passed the economy room. I saw dozens of people allbunked in one large room. Each passenger was assigned asingle bed and most of them had a lot of baggage. I saw onepassenger who had a sealed stand fan box, a bayong, a bigcan of assorted biscuits, and a huge bag. I knew then whya lot of people prefer to travel by sea. Those who come toManila to work and have the chance to visit their familiesin the province for only a few times a year would of coursewant to bring with them pasalubong, just like OverseasFilipino Workers who load their bags with lots of importeditems when they come home to the Philippines. Domesticairlines allow a baggage limit of only 15 kilograms perpassenger. If these people flew from Manila to Cebu, apartfrom the more expensive fare, they would have to payextra for their excess baggage. So the better option wouldbe to ride a ship where each passenger has a baggageallowance of 75 kilograms – five times more than what isallowed on a plane.april - june 2012 travel time 77

Scenes From a CruiseThis page: Scenes from the passenger terminal and from thevessel’s bridge.Opposite page: Children looking out from the deck.At Horizon, we had a filling lunch of crispy pata,chopsuey, cheeseburger, and spaghetti Bolognese. One ofthe advantages of dining at Horizon is that passengers havethe option of either choosing from the viands displayed incatering dishes on the counter or ordering from the menu.We stayed at the café for an hour and Karl and I, who werethe only first-timers in our group, were wondering why wehadn’t left the port yet. We made our way up to the deckto take some photos and were surprised to learn that theship had left the port while we were having lunch. Wejust did not feel it. No rocking movements, no big waves.The vessel was smoothly cruising the sea. This was reallyturning out to be better than I thought.It was after a few hours at sea that I felt the shipmove mildly. I was then safely in my stateroom watchingsatellite TV, as I felt the small waves rocking me to sleep.It was already 5 p.m. when I woke up, feeling revived afterone of the best long naps I’ve had in a long time.After dinner, we headed to Island Fiesta for somecocktails and live entertainment. At night, Island Fiestatransforms into a party place where all passengers canorder drinks from the well-stocked bar and enjoy bandmusic and a comedy act. We ordered a pitcher of daiquiriand watched as the bartender took consecutive orders ofmargaritas, wines, and pitchers of tequila sunrise. Theparty was well on its way and everyone was obviouslyhaving a good time. Song requests for the band pouredin. Two girls started dancing, and towards the end of onesong, the space in front of the stage was crowded. I lookedaround me and saw smiling faces, feet stomping to themusic, couples enjoying drinks, friends laughing. Thesewere the people I saw in the economy bunks on my wayto lunch. I felt sad for them earlier, seeing how they allshared a room. Now, they were having the time of theirlives. They were going home to their families and theywere having a party on the way to their destination. Whatwas there to be sad about?The next morning, the hallways were crowded andbuzzing. People made their way to the front desk, bagsin tow, to check out. We were almost in Cebu. Passengersstarted forming lines at the lobby, ready to disembark thevessel even when we were still 30 minutes away. They78 travel time april - june 2012

could not wait to see their families and present their kidswith the pasalubong that were lovingly bought from hardearnedmoney. They patiently stood, tightly holding on totheir bags and trying to contain their smiles.I’ve never looked at my trips quite this way before.In my fast-paced world, I often fail to notice other peopleand never bothered to care why they were travelling. I felta rush of emotion. These people may be strangers to me,but we shared a journey and I somehow felt connectedto them. We docked at Cebu and I was happy to see themreunited with their families. They were finally home. But Istill had some work to do and had to feed this new hungerfor more learning before I could get back to mine.At the port, my group and I were shuttled off tothe SuperCat terminal to take a boat ride to Tagbilaran,Bohol. 2GO Travel has a Travel Link transfer systemthat gives passengers a seamless travel experience whentaking “connecting” rides to reach their destination.All passengers have to do after disembarking the shipis to head to the terminal and go through the Scan andShoot process where attendants will scan the ticket andtake a profile photo for security purposes. This processis practiced in all 2GO Travel terminals, and takes justabout 30 seconds to complete. After the Scan and Shoot,passengers bound for Tagbilaran may enjoy some snacksfrom various kiosks at the clean and spacious terminalwhile waiting to board the SuperCat. Our boat leftimmediately after all the passengers had boarded and wewere in Tagbilaran after an hour and forty five minutes.It was a hassle-free trip, without a single delay at theterminal and during the ride.We spent only a short time in Tagbilaran and wereback in Cebu that same afternoon. We left the next dayto again take the same 2GO Travel vessel back to Manila.This time, I was determined to learn more aboutwhy some people choose to travel this way. I wantedto invite my friends to go cruising and had to beprepared to answer all their questions. I had a chatwith Teresa Cabal, the Vessel Security Officer (VSO),who proudly told me that 2GO Travel is committedto making cruising a real experience for all theirpassengers. Their vessels are newly-renovated and arecomplete with facilities that would cater to the all theneeds of the passengers. Aside from the dining areasand the rooms and cabins, SF12 has a conferenceroom where training seminars for HRM and marinestudents and other functions are held, an arcade andcellphone charging station, a salon, a clinic with aresident doctor, a multi-purpose room, and a prayerroom. She readily told me that all their crew membershave enough knowledge about safety and that theyhave weekly drills to keep them alert and prepared foremergencies.On the way back to my room, I saw a studentstanding at attention in a hallway near my room.For a few minutes, I sat at a bench a few feet awayfrom him, contemplating whether or not I shouldspeak to him. I was not sure if talking would earnhim a demerit, and standing stick-straight with eyesstaring blindly ahead, he looked like one of those nonspeakingmarshals assigned to guard a monument. Idecided to take a chance anyway, and to my relief,was rewarded with a response. John Michael Tingcalis a 2 nd year Marine Transportation student from theLyceum of Iligan who was undergoing training atthe vessel. He told me that students needed a totalof three years experience in a ship before they canofficially work onboard. In a few weeks, he wouldapril - june 2012 travel time 79

have his Safety of Life and Sea (SOLAS) training where theywould be taught various emergency preparedness and lifesavingprocedures, including fire-fighting, CPR and otherrescue operations. That day, his class underwent training atthe bridge, where the captain and his crew are stationed. Afterdinner, he took his post at the hallway where he was to standguard until 12 midnight. A Vessel Training Officer approachedhim, instructing him to confiscate the IDs of HRM students,who were then undergoing a month-long training onboard,who would sneak out of their rooms past curfew hours. Notlong after the officer left, one of the cabin doors opened and aParty OnboardDifferent passenger groups enjoying the food, drinks andentertainment on the way to their destination.80 travel time april - june 2012

student made a quick scan of the hallway,dispirited to see John Michael standingthere.The next morning, I foundChuchay, the resident entertainer, eatingat Horizon. She told me that one ofthe best things about cruising is thatpassengers have time to mingle andmake new friends while travelling totheir destination. Everyone gets manychances to chat with other people –while relaxing inside the room sharedwith strangers, eating at the restaurant,standing at the deck, waiting at the lobby,partying at the bar. During the wholetrip, people get to see other passengersin all these occasions. If you are friendlyenough, you will leave the ship with awhole new set of friends. And, accordingto Chuchay, if you are really friendly,you might also arrive at your destinationholding the hand of a new sweetheart.After talking to Chuchay, I hopedto meet a passenger who would be ableto tell me a romantic story. In my mind,I pictured myself sitting at the deckbeside an old man saying, “I met mywife on a ship and we had 50 happyyears together.” Anxious to find whatcould potentially be the highlight of myarticle, I went to the main deck and, tomy thrill, spotted an old man sitting beside someonewho appeared to be his son. The other chairs besidethem were empty. It was a perfectly lovely morningbut surprisingly, only a few people were at the deck. Itook a deep breath and sat on one of the empty chairs.The old man looked at me and smiled. In his eyes,I saw unmistakable joy. Could he be thinking of hiswife? Of a girl he met 50 years ago on a ship?He is lolo Galicano, a 74-year-old Cebuanotravelling to Manila to visit his children. He has beenon countless ship rides since 1951. His uncles used tobe ship captains and he would have the privilege ofapril - june 2012 travel time 81

I Found Love On a Cruise!Passengers sharing intimate moments while enjoying the seascape.staying at the bridge with them every time they hada trip. For a few months, he worked as, in his ownwords, a marinero. He would sweep floors, cleanrooms, and do just about everything the staff askedhim to. He was used to travelling by sea and at hiscurrent age, had no intention of riding a plane.Sitting at the deck was his favorite part of all histrips. That morning, the ship was moving smoothly,the sky was bright, and the breeze was just right.A plane was flying overhead. Lolo Galicano lookedup and smiled. “Ang saya-saya ko pag nakakakitaako ng ganyan.” (I feel so happy every time I seesomething like that.) I looked at him and saw thesame joy I saw earlier. “Masaya ako pag nanditoako. Nakikita ko ang dagat, ang mga isla. Minsanmay mga tumatalon pa na isda at dolphins.Napakaganda.” (I am happy when I am here. I seethe sea, the islands. Sometimes there are even flyingfish and dolphins. Very Beautiful.) His eyes weresparkling. He was sincerely happy. He continued totell me about his life, his children, his small pieceof land, and how he enjoys the scenery each time hetravels by sea. I realized then that he did not meethis wife on a ship. He had no extraordinary story totell. This man shared a love story with nature, withthe world. His story was as simple as it could get,yet, his bright face mirrored bliss and content.That morning, he walked up to the deck threetimes. The first and second time, he saw that itwas raining, so he went back to the room he sharedwith his son and 18 other passengers. Determinedto get some fresh air and feel the sun on his face,he made the trip again for the third time, with thelegs of a diabetic, and was rewarded with a clearsky. I was deeply moved. I’ve seen clear, bluewaters countless times. I’ve been to many islands.I’ve seen planes flying overhead, and I rode themquite frequently. I’ve gone on dolphin watchingtrips. I have experienced a lot, but I don’t think Iever showed as much gratitude and appreciationfor my blessings as this man had. I realized that Ilooked at the sea, the islands, the planes, the fish,but had not really seen.I was looking for a remarkable story ofromance that would bring tears to my eyes, butI found something better. I stood at the deck andwatched the ship leave a trail in the water. Fluffywhite clouds slowly moved across the blue sky. Isaw Manila in the horizon. I was going home, notwith bagfuls of pasalubong, but with extraordinarystories to tell. I headed back to my room, happyto have been made a real traveler by what Iexperienced onboard, and by the lessons I learnedfrom a 74-year-old man.82 travel time april - june 2012

Nothing but ExcellenceAs the EVP and Chief Commercial Officer for Passenger Businessof 2GO Travel, Stephen Rey Tagud is the one who redefined seatravel by introducing travelers to a whole new level of domesticcruising. He is the youngest board member in the 2GO Group,but Stephen proves that he is the best person for his position. Hestudied abroad and graduated with distinction from the International HotelManagement School in Switzerland with a diploma in Hotel and RestaurantManagement. He also graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Sciencein Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, andearned his MBA in International Finance and Marketing from UniversidadEuropea de Madrid in Spain. He gained professional experience fromillustrious hotels such as Wynn Las Vegas, Paris Hotel and Casino, MGMMirage, and Hyatt Hotels. With someone like him as frontliner, what canone expect from 2GO Travel? Nothing but excellence.Tita Susan travelled to Boracay with Stephen onboard the CF3 vessel tofind out more about domestic cruising.What is the vision behind 2GO Travel?With 2GO being the new brand, we wanted to be the premier providerof sea transport to promote domestic tourism and be a domestic cruisethat would connect people from Manila to different islands and vice versa.How do you make it a cruise experience?We refurbished the ships, upgraded all the furniture, provided a verydifferent experience on board --we provided entertainment, restaurantfacilities and different activities for people to do on board.What is the best proof or symbol that it is a cruise line?For us, it is when you enter. We have the front desk, of course, the nicefurniture, the ambiance, that whole feeling that when a passenger enters,he will have a WOW! moment.What can one expect from 2GO Travel?We are a young brand, we are very fresh, and what we want to give thepublic is a very memorable experience onboard our ships. They can dineat the restaurant, listen to the band, have a cocktail at the bar, underneaththe stars, with their friends and family. It is a whole experience in itself. Theywon’t get bored.How safe are the ships?Our ships have international certifications with different classes. We havethe French and the American class societies. Of course, they do annualchecks and safety inspections. This is close to international standardsbecause we fly them here to inspect the engine and every nook andcranny of the vessel.What are the special events that one can do onboard?Limitless. You can do weddings. We’ve done a wedding onboard. We’vedone a lot of meetings and incentive trips, conferences. A lot of companiesride with us to conduct their meeting or seminars onboard, because it’s acaptive audience, people won’t go anywhere. So the selling point for mostcompanies is that their audience is captured, they listen, they train andafter that, when they get to the destination, that is when they do theirR&R. You can have your birthday party, reunions, anything. We can evenpackage it for you, if you have a special request for food and beverage,and when you book as a group, you can get a group discount. Basically,whatever you can imagine, we can do.How early do you have to book and how do you book?If you plan ahead and book early, you can definitely avail of the promofares. When people plan a trip, as soon as they know about it, they haveto book in advance to avail of the cheap rates. You can do that online onwww.2GO.com.ph or by calling our call center at 528 7000 and we haveabout a thousand ticket outlets all over, just look for the 2GO Travel signwith the travel agencies and you can book with them.What do you feel is your effect on domestic tourism?First of all, our country is very, very beautiful. As an archipelago, we havedifferent islands that people can see. We give our passengers an intimateexperience at sea. You can go to the view deck and see the islands, andsometimes, if you are lucky, you can even see dolphins or flying fish. Sothis is just another avenue to experience our islands, basically.Is it one of the intentions of your company to enhance domestictourism?Yes, definitely, because it is a different experience. We offer a domesticcruise that is very affordable and when you walk into the ship, you feel likeyou are in a hotel. If you sail with us, you’ll experience good quality hotelservice, great food, and a great time. And it’s easy on the pocket and that’swhat really counts.april - june 2012 travel time 83